Hurricane Preparedness Tips

The longevity of ice

This is an old trick used by paddlers on days long canoe floats:

When I was preping for Katrina, I didn't have time to make much ice in the freezer, so I went out and bought all the ice I could find, and then packed two large coolers full. If you duct tape the seam formed by the lid and the chest, the ice will last a long time. Use the ice from one first, and leave the other sealed. For better results, wrap your spare cooler in blankets and comforters, and tape up again. Keep the cooler in the shade, and for a little umfff, you can keep the blankets damp. The evaporative effect will help keep the contents cool. Even this far north and west of the eye's path, we were without electicity for 11 days. I unsealed my backup cooler around day 5, and found it still to be filled with sweet, glorious, ice!! By that time the National Gaurd started showing up with ice trucks.

If possible, I would try to make big chunks of ice in the freezer. The larger the chunk, the longer it takes to melt.